[Albion] Aaron Connolly - joining Hull permanently

[Justice]

As long as he is ours I hope his next move is back to us to bang them in
Mad that anyone wants him to fail.

No one wants him to fail in fact the opposite 99% of Albion fans were disappointed he didn’t push on from his debut against Spurs. Plenty have witnessed and pointed out his obvious failings Brighton is a small place although others who have never visited find that hard to understand.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

Article on Connolly from RTE website

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2022/0726/1312411-connolly-its-vital-i-got-away-from-circle-in-england/

 

[Hotchilidog]

“A lot of people know why I haven’t kicked on and I know myself. That’s why this move to Italy was vital, just to get away from the circle I was in back in England, I needed a fresh start."

“My confidence was on the deck, when I missed chances and hadn’t been playing. I wasn’t in the right place to go on loan last year. I did it because I wanted to play football but I wish this version of myself right now had showed up at Middlesbrough. It would have been a different story."

“Mentally, I wouldn’t have been able to move abroad last season. I wouldn’t have been excited. But this time, I couldn’t say yes quick enough. I’ve got a good group of people around me now, a good group of mates… the old circle I used to be around off the pitch, I’ve had to make my mind up."

“It’s either keep going in the phase I was going in and eventually I’ll just be completely forgotten. At the minute I’m probably the forgotten man in Irish football and if I kept associating with people I’d been associating with before, I would have completely gone off the scale."

“Now I think I’ve turned that around and hopefully people will be able to see that with performances and workrate and hopefully goals."

“The association I had with people off the pitch and away from the training ground, it was never going to benefit me in any way, being around people in certain places. The support network I have around me right now, friends and family, the people that are in my life right now, they are only helping. They don’t want anything from me.”

This is very refreshing to read. I really hope Aaron can push on now and get his career back on track.

 

[heathgate]

So, does anybody know how his first weeks have gone in Italy?...

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[Easy 10]

Glenn Murray couldn’t score in league two at Aaron’s age, was only when he was 24 in League One did he start scoring a few. He had a good career I think you’d say

True. But then Glenn Murray had the opportunity of honing his skills and boosting his confidence in front of goal precisely because the early part of his career was spent in the noddy leagues. He was on a learning curve that was far more condusive to bringing out his talents.

Sadly Connolly has never had that opportunity with us. It was "sink or swim" for him at the elite level of football - and unsurprisingly, he sank. Thats partly the clubs fault due to the fact that we didn't sign a quality striker, so Connolly by default ended up playing regularly as we had little to no backup. He clearly wasn't ready.

Ideally he should have been going out on loan to the EFL way, way before that Middlesbrough deal, but from what I've heard, he was reluctant to drop down the divisions and wanted to prove himself here, in the EPL. That turned out to be a mistake.

But as others have said, he's still young enough to get himself back on track. Personally I don't think he'll ever be a PL standard striker, but that doesn't mean he can't carve out a decent career for himself.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

This is very refreshing to read. I really hope Aaron can push on now and get his career back on track.

This is the actual interview that the article is based on -

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

piss weak excuse really don't you think , if you peer group are affecting your ability to reach your peak in professional football , most young lads dream , then surely you move on.

it is a problem with some lads , they would rather just get on the piss.

If what he says is true and he backs it up then not a weak excuse and great for him and maybe the Albion. Plenty of stories out there around players who were in the same situation and only realised too late that they had missed their chance - hopefully this is the turning point for him and not just hollow words.

 

[Whitechapel]

I eagerly await Swansman asking if Connolly knows what’s actually going on in his own life and demanding proof of his claims.

 

[stingray]

So, does anybody know how his first weeks have gone in Italy?...

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ask the local Irish pub owner

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

ask the local Irish pub owner

Harsh.

 

[phoenix]

I eagerly await Swansman asking if Connolly knows what’s actually going on in his own life and demanding proof of his claims.

Can I just say the bloke you just mentioned Not Arron gets on my tits sometimes. Almost too knowlegable which is appriciated but only sometimes.

 

[Frankworthington]

Can I just say the bloke you just mentioned Not Arron gets on my tits sometimes. Almost too knowlegable which is appriciated but only sometimes.

Yes you can

On the most ignore lists on NSC

 

[pornomagboy]

I see aaron has been given the job of twitter admin

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[pornomagboy]

as above

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[GT49er]

I see aaron has been given the job of twitter admin.

as above.

What?

 

[Slum_Wolf]

Venezia's first league game of the season home to Genoa Cricket and Football Club is live on Mola - https://mola.tv/watch?utm_medium=playlist-FeatCont-GB&utm_source=molatv&v=vd59855902gb - Sunday 7.45

No idea if Aaron Connolly is likely to feature. I assume he was one of the 13 hit by Covid last week as he was not part of their squad in the 3-2 defeat to Ascoli in the Coppa Italia.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

True. But then Glenn Murray had the opportunity of honing his skills and boosting his confidence in front of goal precisely because the early part of his career was spent in the noddy leagues. He was on a learning curve that was far more condusive to bringing out his talents.

Sadly Connolly has never had that opportunity with us. It was "sink or swim" for him at the elite level of football - and unsurprisingly, he sank. Thats partly the clubs fault due to the fact that we didn't sign a quality striker, so Connolly by default ended up playing regularly as we had little to no backup. He clearly wasn't ready.

Ideally he should have been going out on loan to the EFL way, way before that Middlesbrough deal, but from what I've heard, he was reluctant to drop down the divisions and wanted to prove himself here, in the EPL. That turned out to be a mistake.

But as others have said, he's still young enough to get himself back on track. Personally I don't think he'll ever be a PL standard striker, but that doesn't mean he can't carve out a decent career for himself.

All of this is exactly why Evan Fegurson could soon become another Aaron Connolly, if certain posters on here get their way and is fast tracked into starting Premier League games.

Warming the bench now again is one thing, but starting games, particularly as the main striker, and with all the unwanted pressure to score goals, is completely another.

In my view, at only 18, he must be at least another two or three seasons away from doing that, and only then if he continues to make the same excellent progress. A loan spell or two would hold him in good stead too.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

All of this is exactly why Evan Fegurson could soon become another Aaron Connolly, if certain posters on here get their way and is fast tracked into starting Premier League games.

Ferguson is a completely different kettle of fish - the kid has a maturity way beyond his years (something that Connolly never had). There is no comparison between the two. I would argue that Ferguson is already a better player than Connolly - and is only going to improve.

 

[GT49er]

All of this is exactly why Evan Fegurson could soon become another Aaron Connolly, if certain posters on here get their way and is fast tracked into starting Premier League games.

Warming the bench now again is one thing, but starting games, particularly as the main striker, and with all the unwanted pressure to score goals, is completely another.

In my view, at only 18, he must be at least another two or three seasons away from doing that, and only then if he continues to make the same excellent progress. A loan spell or two would hold him in good stead too.

It could be that at 18 he is considered too young to be sent out on loan, and that maybe a season with the U21s and around the first team squad in training (with maybe the odd bit of bench warming) might be the best way forward.
On the other hand, it would be very exciting to see how he got on in, say, League 2 or Bundesliga 2.
And of course, there's no reason why 18 year old's can't play in the PL - but only if they're a pretty exceptional talent, and physically strong enough.

So, all three options are possible - just have to trust the Dev Squad management team to make the right decision(s)!

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

It could be that at 18 he is considered too young to be sent out on loan, and that maybe a season with the U21s and around the first team squad in training (with maybe the odd bit of bench warming) might be the best way forward.
On the other hand, it would be very exciting to see how he got on in, say, League 2 or Bundesliga 2.
And of course, there's no reason why 18 year old's can't play in the PL - but only if they're a pretty exceptional talent, and physically strong enough.

So, all three options are possible - just have to trust the Dev Squad management team to make the right decision(s)!

I certainly favour keeping him around the first team squad... at least until the transfer window after the World Cup break.